Government Social Research
30 June 2006 - DCLG publish 4 reports on The economies of deprived neighbourhoods:
These reports can be viewed on the DCLG website
28 June 2006 - Mathematica Update reviews recent publications by Mathematica on welfare-to-work
Contents include:
Employment-related issues; Hard to employ; Strengthening families; Fatherhood; Child Care; Housing, sanctions, and other topics
28 June 2006 - Article in The Scientist - UK research to be open access: in a long-awaited policy, RCUK mandates that all research it funds should be made freely available.
Scientists funded by the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) will soon be obliged to deposit copies of their published articles in an online repository “at the earliest opportunity". The BBSRC decision came as part of a wider position statement by Research Councils UK, the umbrella body for all of the UK’s seven research councils, which distribute government funds.
The full article can be viewed on The Scientist website
27 June 2006 - Australian Institute of Criminology publish The impact of operational performance reviews on reported crime in Queensland
Finds that Operational Performance Reviews (OPRs) had a significant impact in reducing certain crime categories in some Queensland police districts. The effects were large enough to influence the overall decline in crime and the initiative resulted in savings to the community. These findings will result in some debate, as there are always limitations to social science data and often competing explanations.
27 June 2006 - Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) published the Citizenship survey for 2005
The Citizenship Survey is a biennial survey of adults in England and Wales, covering a range of community based issues including views about the local area, racial and religious prejudice and discrimination.
22 June 2006 - Article in the Scientist "Royal Society tries open access
Britain's national science academy has been one of the most vocal critics of making papers freely available
20 June 2006 - Article in The Scientist: UK plans research funding overhaul: Government to debate proposals to rethink university research funding over the next four months
19 June 2006 - Deadline - Fully-funded places for GSR members at second annual summer school, University of Southampton, 11-14th September 2006
GSRU has secured a very limited number of fully-funded places at the second ESRC National Centre for Research Methods summer school. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to work on developing a research design for tackling a 'big' research question in the area of health policy. You will also learn about innovative approaches to multi-method working.
To be considered for a place send your details, together with confirmation of endorsement by your Head of Profession, to reach Sue Duncan's office by Monday 19 June.
Longview is a new organisation - ‘think tank’ set up through the work of expert groups to get the best value from longitudinal data by ensuring that:
One major project is already completed - a strategic review for ESRC of panel and cohort studies. Two other major projects are underway: one on the changing nature of ‘cognitive capital’ across cohorts, and across the life course, and the other concerned with solutions to the problem of attrition. A one-day conference in St Catherine’s College Oxford on 21 July will be devoted to the conclusions of the Strategic Review and to ‘Cycles of Deprivation.
15 June 2006 - The Commons Science and Technology committee publishes a report on Research Council support for knowledge transfer
National Data Sets: sources of information for Canadian child care data
Report from Statistics Canada “provides an overview of existing national survey data sets that could be used to examine issues related to child care in Canada.”
EC Sustainable Development Study - Prior Information Notice
Mathematica publish semi-monthly update
Contents include:
Obesity rates at age 3 by race, ethnicity, and other factors; New interactive resource helps track Medicare Advantage plans; Public use files available for national survey of SSI children and families.
Statistics Canada publish Juristat.
"This series of reports provides detailed statistics and analysis on a variety of topics and issues concerning Canada's justice system. Annual Juristats are produced on areas such as: crime, homicide, youth and adult courts, and corrections. Additional Juristats are also produced each year on current topics of interest to the justice community. This is a unique periodical, of great interest to those who have to plan, establish, administer and evaluate justice programs and projects, or anyone who has an interest in Canada's justice system" (website).
It uses data from two surveys to examine the relationship between reading ability at age 15 and educational outcomes, namely high school completion and post secondary participation.